News

Russian officials, media representatives agree on more liberal media laws

Representatives of the Russian mass media have convinced officials and State Duma lawmakers - who met to discuss a set of strict new amendments to the Civil Code - to allow the media to publish personal information not otherwise categorized as "private".

12:04 20.05.2013

State Duma refuses to overturn US adoption ban

The State Duma refused Friday to overturn Russia’s ban on the adoption of its orphans by US families.

18:52 17.05.2013

Ombudsman to join forces with communications regulator to protect children

Children's Rights Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov and the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Communications (Roskomnadzor) Alexander Zharov have signed an agreement on cooperation to protect children from information harmful to their health and development.

14:31 17.05.2013

State Duma proposes restricted police access to banks

Law enforcement agencies would have to obtain a court warrant for access to bank account information, according to amendment recommended for inclusion prior to the second reading of a bill on the prevention of illegal financial transactions.

16:29 16.05.2013

Ministry proposes criminal liability for trade in transplant organs

The Healthcare Ministry has proposed adding an article to the Criminal Code on liability for illegal trade in transplant organs.

15:58 16.05.2013

Duma mulls amnesty for financial crimes

The State Duma is working on a resolution to amnesty those who are serving sentences for financial crimes under nearly 50 Criminal Code articles, including those under which Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev were convicted.

12:29 16.05.2013

Duma passes bill on airline access for the disabled

The State Duma on Wednesday adopted a bill that ensures people with disabilities unimpeded access to air services. The bill was adopted in the third reading.

11:23 16.05.2013

Draft law on Russian judiciary good, but could be better – opinion

According to a review of Russia’s Draft Law Amending the Law on the Status of Judges released by the international Rule of Law NGO International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), while some amendments will serve to improve the matters for the Russian judiciary, more comprehensive legislative reform is necessary.

09:53 15.05.2013

Legislator calls for liability for providing property to be used as drug dens

Federation Council member Anatoly Lyskov has proposed introducing criminal liability not only for organizing drug dens, but also for systematically providing premises to be used for these purposes. Lyskov submitted a bill to the State Duma on Tuesday to amend the Criminal Code.

12:54 14.05.2013

Medvedev fast tracks Putin's luxury tax

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has decided to introduce the new luxury tax sponsored by President Vladimir Putin two weeks earlier than planned. During the president's Q&A session with the public three weeks ago, Putin said that the tax should be introduced by November 1, and called it a matter of social justice.

11:56 14.05.2013

Top news

Russian courts allowed not to implement rulings of Europe's human rights court

Russia's Supreme Court proposed not to implement rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

12:53 09.12.2025

Redomiciliation stalls: How sanctions are shaping new practices for Russian companies

The mechanism for redomiciliating foreign companies to Russian jurisdiction, in effect since 2018, has recently encountered serious obstacles. Taking into account the background of sanctions-related restrictions introduced in 2022 through 2025, it has become extremely difficult to achieve the goal. The situation gave rise to the phenomenon of dual domicile and led to a rise in the number of new litigations, both in Russia and abroad.

12:32 09.12.2025

Soldiers jailed for killing US journalist Russell Bentley

A military court in Donetsk sentenced three soldiers to up to 12 years in prison for torturing and killing Russell Bentley, a 63-year-old U.S. national who collaborated with Sputnik news agency.

14:05 08.12.2025